


Under their noses

by themoonlightreveals



Category: Escape the Night (Web Series), Video Blogging RPF
Genre: ....more implied than anything, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Fluff, Gen, I guess???, Magic, Post-Season/Series 04, Post-Season/Series 04 AU, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, Sibling Bonding, yes mat and ro are siblings
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-01
Updated: 2019-12-01
Packaged: 2021-02-26 01:47:01
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,726
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21635329
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/themoonlightreveals/pseuds/themoonlightreveals
Summary: Ro is visited by Mat a few months after The Collector is defeated. They're both a little tired, and a little broken, and have a whole lot of catching up to do, but they've got each other.Well, Ro has somebody else too.
Relationships: The Detective | Matthew Patrick & The Jet Setter | Rosanna Pansino, The Socialite | Rosanna Pansino & Matthew Patrick, The Socialite | Rosanna Pansino & The Sorceress
Comments: 3
Kudos: 25





	Under their noses

**Author's Note:**

  * For [crazygreatwords (SamWithACrown)](https://archiveofourown.org/users/SamWithACrown/gifts).



Mat sat down across from her, steaming cup of tea in hand. It hadn’t been that long since they’d last seen each other and he looked no different than usual, though he hadn’t brought the Society jacket this time. It seemed he was catching on. Ro watched her brother take a careful sip, hissing when the undoubtedly burned his tongue. He looked up and offered her a sheepish smile.

“So,” he started, clearing his throat, “how’s life been?” 

Wasn’t that the million dollar question? It had been little over a few months after the purgatory museum disaster, after they’d come out on top and beat the Collector. The Society had had a surprising amount of involvement in their final battle, not just through Mat and Nikita, but their two weird friends too. It seemed like the bare minimum considering their supposed cause of fighting evil, but it was more than they had done the last times. Still, they hadn’t managed to save more people than when Joey had been running around on his own; he was alive, of course, but the Society hadn’t been able to save Alex or Bretman. Neither had she.

“Oh, you know,” Ro smiled. “I’m thinking about going to the gym. All that running around for my life did wonders for my core and I’m starting to miss it.” That got a huff of laugh out of him, but she could tell it wasn’t going to be enough. Mat smiled a tight little smile, looked at the mint paper wall, her stack of books on the coffee table in front of them, and finally through the window at the afternoon sun, and it was painfully obvious he was giving her space. She had an apartment full of nothing but plants and cooking recipes and swirly straws, so space was the last thing she needed right now.

“Good tea. Chamomile, right?” Ah, he was going to be beating around the bush after all.

“Yeah,” Ro allowed herself a small private smirk. “I’ve been practicing my brew.”

Mat nodded in that polite way that told her he didn’t get it, but it was ok. He wasn’t supposed to.

Her brother sighed into his cup. “How are you really, Ro?” Then, quieter. “I was there too, you know.” 

“I’m fine,” she said maybe a bit too sharply, though she thought she could be cutting when Mat used his involvement with the museum as a bargaining chip. “The therapist you recommended is wonderful. Thanks for taking into consideration my…preferences.” She smiled ruefully. Obviously she had no way of going to a normal psychologist and pouring her heart out about magic and dying and being revived, so Mat had suggested a more aware professional to her. She had categorically refused until she had found out they had no relation with the Society. “They deal with the whole supernatural business surprisingly well.”

He gave her his most pleased smile yet. “I wouldn’t point you to someone who doesn’t know what they’re doing.” He took another sip and gingerly placed the cup on its little plate.

“Did you go to them too?” Ro watched Mat intently. “Before, I mean.” That was a redundancy; they both knew what she meant. It was just that she knew her brother didn’t like thinking about what it had been like between Everlock and the museum so she gave him time to parse over his answer, if there would be one at all. 

“Sort of.” His eyes didn’t leave the still hot tea in front of him. “We actually have grief counselling at the SAE. Group therapy, you know.” He waved a hand around, but she didn’t miss the way his eyes tightened at the edges. “I guess it wasn’t intensive enough,” he continued, a bitter note entering his voice at the last words. It sounded like he was repeating a phrase said to him over and over again. “I thought they were a lot like you back then, actually,” he added. She felt she was losing him to his memories and that faraway look on his face. “Dani didn’t like the SAE either, and even though they knew about the supernatural, they just went on with their lives. They helped people in other ways than we did, and I couldn’t stop thinking that’s what you would have done.”

Ro took his hand in hers. “Ah,” that seemed to snap him out of his reverie, “but this was about you.” Her brother’s gaze had that twinkle in it again, and his hand gripped hers tightly. She offered an understanding smile and brought their entwined hands to her heart.

“I’ll be fine.” She let his hand go, silence dragging on between them, and she took another sip of her piping hot tea. With a heavy sigh, Mat leaned back in his armchair and closed his eyes. Ro noted with displeasure that he looked more tired than last time. 

“Have you talked to Joey?” Her brother asked suddenly, watching the branches outside with careful, obviously faked, little interest.

“Not in a while,” she narrowed her eyes, “have you?” 

“Ah, you’ve heard then.” Her brother threw another shrewd look at the books on the table in front of him and then glanced back at her.

“Yeah.” Joey had technically been a part of the Society since after Everlock, but she knew that he was looking to become a full time member. “How’s he doing?”

“He’s on probation right now. After four death games, we want to be sure he’s not going to purposefully endanger any more civilians.”

“Good luck dealing with him,” Ro smirked. She couldn’t particularly say she wanted him to become a member, but she was past the point of having any faith in the Society’s capabilities of making good decisions.

Mat chuckled. “Oh, I’m definitely going to need luck and lots and lots of patience.”

“That bad already?”

“You don’t wanna know. He’s been blowing up all his spells,” He continued dejectedly. Ro laughed in her cup at her brother’s pained expression. Joey’s patience was thin at best and magic wasn’t something that he could stubbornly coerce into obeying. He would have to go nice and slow, dip his toes in first and get a feel, dance around it a bit and treat it like a Disney princess. She honestly couldn’t imagine him doing that, but stranger things had happened.

“On that topic,” Mat said, pointing an accusatory finger at her astrology books on the coffee table. “Are those what I think they are?” 

Ro rolled her eyes but smiled. “Relax. I’m not ‘dabbling in dark forces’ or whatever, it’s just a hobby I’ve taken up.” It had been a safe bet after coming back from the museum. Not totally mundane but not strong enough to be considered actual magic, she liked astrology for the comfort it brought: this is how your day is going to be, this is what you should look out for about, and don’t worry, the cashier was mean to you because Mercury is in retrograde.

“The barely there divination is not a big deal.” Her brother opened one of the books and started leafing through the pages. “It’s what this might attract.” He looked up at her. “Since you’ve been to two heavily enchanted location, surrounding yourself with even more magic could make you a target.” Her expression sharpened. He didn’t seem to be done. “We could help you,” Mat continued with a hopeful tinge. “You wouldn’t even have to become a temporary member, just come to a few classes-” Ro put a hand up and he deflated.

“I will manage on my own if that happens. You know that the less I see of the Society the better.” She winked to alleviate the tension a bit and plucked the book from his fingers.

“Never hurts to try,” Mat muttered sardonically. He caught her caught her eyes with his own earnest gaze. “Promise me you’ll let us help you if push comes to shove.” Ro sighed internally. She wasn’t sure how much the Society would be able to help in an actual dire situation. Making a show of thinking about it, she eventually nodded and smiled a genuine little smile at her brother’s relieved expression.

He finished his tea in one gulp, checking his watch at the same time. At his startled expression she let out a laugh, and pushed herself off her armchair with more grace than him.

“Sorry to cut this short so soon, it’s almost 4 and-“ he started in a hurry, but stopped when Ro’s hands fell on his shoulders and flattened some stray wrinkles. 

“Just go. We have all the time in the world now.” Using her grip, she turned him 180 degrees and started pushing him towards the main entrance. Wasn’t that a wonderful thing to have? Time. 

They lingered at the door for a bit. Mat seemed just as reluctant to leave as she was to let him, but he kept drumming his fingers on his thigh and side-eying the lock, so she spared him the pain and opened the door. He stepped out, but put a hand on the wooden frame.

“I really hope you know what you’re doing with that magic.” Well, that was a bit melodramatic.

“Yeah, Mat, I do. Stop worrying.” She rolled her eyes at his insistence. “I’m sure I’m going to become the wicked witch of the west using astrology,” she said for emphasis.

“Alright, alright. Pick on your poor brother for being worried,” he faked vehemence. Standing up straight, he squared his shoulders. “See ya around.” 

“Yep.” 

Mat turned on his feet and waved goodbye as he was making his way to the driveway and she closed the door, locking it while her hands were still on the knob. She sighed heavily.

“Had fun?” a voice like honey asked behind her and Ro grinned towards the floor.

“Definitely,” she said as she whirled on the soles of her feet to face the Sorceress. She had forgone the feather like decorations and regal dress a short while after the museum to join Ro in the t-shirt and sweatpants club, though she couldn’t say she had gotten used to seeing the enchantress’ dignified look in casual house wear and messy bun.

“Ready, then?”

Ro’s smile sharpened even more. 

Of course she knew what she was doing.

**Author's Note:**

> One of my first fics so not particularly well written :P  
> This was written while season 4 was airing but before Ro was killed.  
> Based on an AU idea of a friend of mine (spoilers: it's really cute and i love it).


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